Kolkata Trams

Trams operated by Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC), since its inception in 1902, has occupied an important place in the heart of Kolkatans. It is a symbol of the busy and fast moving life of Kolkata. Today Kolkata Trams serves as the oldest operating tram in Asia and perhaps the only one in India.

Kolkata Trams - Past & Present

In the year 1873, it was decided to run the Calcutta Tramways  Service between Armenian Street Ghat and Sealdah but it was given a cold shoulder i.e. there were a very few commuters and hence the service was discontinued in the month of November. Later, in the year 1880 Kolkata Tram Way Company Ltd. was registered in London . Horse drawn meter gauge tram tracks were drawn from Sealdah to Armenian street through Strand Road, Dalhousie square and Bow Bazaar Street and was inaugurated by Lord Ripon. Approximately one hundred and sixty six tram cars, a thousand horses and seven stream locomotives were spread across nineteen miles of tram track. The electrification of tramways started at the beginning of 19th century and metre gauge were shifted standard track and Kolkata Tram was run for the first time from Esplanade to Kiddopore. In 1904, the route from Esplanade to Bagbaazar via College street was opened. In the year 1943, Kolkata system of tram was connected to Howrah , which was a major transition , thereby making the total length of tram approximately 70 kilometres.

Popular Tram Routes

Though slow moving, this medium of transportation is very popular amongst the locals and tourists visiting Kolkata . You can find it passing through the crowded streets. Today Calcutta Tramways Company with a fleet of 257 trams is making traveling and trasporation much easy in the city of joy.T hey are  17.5 metres long and 2.1 meters wide trams are divided into compartments.  Each compartment with wide  entrance has a seating  capacity of 62. In total it can carry loads of  200 passengers.
 
Belgatchia to Esplanade, Via R.G.Kar Rd – Bidhan Sarani – College Street – Nirmal Ch. Street – Lenin Sarani

Shyambazar to Esplanade, Via Bidhan Sarani – College Street – Nirmal Ch. Street – Lenin Sarani

Bidhan Nagar to BBD Bag, Via C.I.T. Rd. – Maniktala Main Rd. – A.P.C Rd. – Surya Sen St. – Raja Rammohan Roy Sarani – B.B. Ganguly Street – Lalbazar Street

Gariahat to Howrah Bridge, Via Ballygunge Phari, Park Circus, Mullick Bazar, Moulali, Sealdah, College Street, Mahatma Gandhi Road

Tollygunge - Esplanade, Via Rashbehari, Hazra, Gopal Nagar, Mominpur, Kidderpore, Maidan

Over one hundred and twenty five Kolkata trams run every day in Kolkata out of the total two hundred and fifty seven trams which the government owns. The Kolkata trams have approximately sixty seats inside them and carry a passenger load of two hundred at least during the entire journey. Most of the trams were bought from the English Electric Company and Dick Kerr and Company till the year 1952 after which the production started being in India.